Lok Sabha polls: Opposition wins Delhi, Congress loses turf to AAP

The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may break up in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, as they form the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). The BJP has won all seven seats in Delhi, while the AAP was placed second in 2014 and Congress moved to second in 2019 with five seats. The distribution of tickets may be a key factor in the outcome.

In 2014, the combined vote share of the Congress and AAP was higher than that of the BJP. However, in 2019, the BJP was ahead of the combined vote share of the AAP and Congress. It may be challenging for the BJP to win all seven seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, as the AAP and Congress fight together. The 2019 Lok Sabha polls failed to put up formidable candidates against the BJP’s five-seat parliament. In North West Delhi and East Delhi, the replacements were more formidable than the outgoing member.

In 2014, following the success of the Anna Hazare campaign, the AAP was able to field some highly renowned figures in the polls, including JNU professor Anand Kumar, journalist Ashutosh, social activist and academic Rajmohan Gandhi, and others. By 2019, all of these names had left the AAP. As a result, the ruling party in Delhi could field a very poor team.

The question is the distribution of tickets in the event of two parties contesting together. Four Congress candidates remain, and if AAP agrees, it would contest South Delhi, West Delhi, and North-West Delhi.AAP faces challenges in poll campaign management, with Kejriwal’s senior partner position uncertain, potentially losing Congress turf.